Sounding arrangement



Jan. 15, 1929. j 1,698,857

G. SCHMIDT ET AL sounnme ARRANGEMENT Filed May 18, 1923 ?a.tented Jan.15, 19 29.

auras STATES PATENT OFFICE."

GERHARD SCHMIDT AND IBER'NHABD SETTEGAST, OF KIEL, GERMANY, ASSIGNORS TOSIGNAL GESELLSCHAFT MIT IBESGHRKNKTER HAFTUNG, OF KIEL, GERMANY, A

FIRM.

SOUNDING ARRANGEMENT.

Application iiled May 18, 1923,'Seria1 No. 639,788, and in Germany May23, 1922.

This invention relates to arrangements for measuring the depth of waterand more par ticularly to such arrangements on ships, especially onsubmarine vessels.

In the present invention the measurement is effected by means of asounding lead which difl'ers from the ordinary sounding lead in that itis free and not attached to a line. This free sounding lead descends ata constant rate of speed to the bottom of the ocean, the striking ofwhich causes an explosive charge within the sounding lead to explode andgive out a sound. The time interval from the beginning of the descent tothe moment of explosion gives a measurement of the distance which can bedetermined readily due to the fact that the rate of descent is constantand known. Since this sounding lead differs from the usual sounding leadin that it is free and not attached to a line it will be called,hereafter in this specification, a free sounding lead.

A feature of the invention consists in discharging the free soundinglead, such for instance, as shown in the United States Patent No.1,514,264 to Set-tegast et al., from the interior of the ship through asluice or look so as to enable the sounding operation to be carried outindependently of whether the submarine is above or below tlie surface ofthe water.

Sluice arrangements for similar purposes are known and their generalconstructional features do not form thesubject of this invention. Animportant feature of the invention is, however, that the free soundinglead or free sounding leads are discharged from the ship beneath the'surface of the water through an opening in the ships wall and that thetime between the unshipping of the free sounding lead (which produces a.sound free sounding lead is signalled back to the control station.

Another feature of the invention consists in arranging a plurality offree sounding leads in a magazine by which the free soundmg leads may besuccessively moved into their discharge position like the cartridges offirearms. U f

The invention is illustrated by way of example in the drawing in which-Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic representation of a complete soundinginstallation.

Fig. 2 shows a modified device for discharging a free sounding lead andFigure 3 shows a detail of the device. In the drawinga is a ships wallwith an opening 6 at the bottom through which the free sounding leads aare discharged. A

plummet sluice or water lock in the form of a rotatable drum e isprovided in the interior of the ship above the opening or port 5. Thedrum or magazine 0 has a number of free sounding-lead chambers f and isrotated b a revolving mechanism so that the chambers f are caused toregister in succession with the discharge port 6 leading out from thelock. The drum may be rotated by means of a stepping magnet g whichoscillates the stepping pawl of a ratchet wheel and is controlled withthe aid of a key it. This isshown in detail in Fi re 3, where theratchet wheel '11 is rotated y the stepping pawl at which is pivoted ato and adapted to be attracted to themagnet 9 by means of the armature anattached to it. A spring 20 is supplied for returning the pawl to normalposition. The movements of the ratchet wheel 71 produce correspondingmovements of the drum or magazine e. The

positions of the chambers f above the discharge opening 6 are signalledback by means of a contact device is and an indicating device I to thecontrol station where the free soundinglead dischargekey isplaced.

A device m, which acts on a stop clock n, when a free sounding lead isdischarged is preferably connected in the operatin circuit of theindicator so that the time of discharge of a free sounding lead isindicated automati- A i'ranged in a position opposite to the port 6 ofthe lock is a magazine consisting of a tube or shaft 0 adapted toreceive a considerable number of free sounding leads so that whenwherebysaid soun lead advanced-to said opening is free to f in the open water.

5. In a system for depth measurement adapted to be used upon a submarinewhen either above or below the surface of the water, a watertight casingattached to the skin of the vessel, having an opening therein directlyaligned with a "similar opening in the skin of the vessel, a barrelhaving compartments extending longitudinally therethrough and a shaftthrough the center of said barrel for rotating the same, a plurality offree sounding leads and means for feeding the same through the top ofsaid easing into said compartments as said barrel is rotated, a ratchetwheel mounted on said shaft above said casing, means for driving saidwheel in successive steps to advance successively said compartments toalign with said opening whereby said sounding lead advanced to saidopening is free to fallin the open water, a

depth indicator and means operated by the movement of said ratchet wheelfor commencing the operation of said depth indicator at the instant thesounding lead is free.

I 6. In a system for depth measurement adapted to be used upon asubmarine. when either above or below the surface of the water,awatertight casing attached to the skin of the vessel, having an openingtherein directly aligned with a similar opening in the skin of thevessel, a barrel having compartments extending longitudinallytherethrough and rotatable about a shaft through the center of saidbarrel, a ratchet wheel mounted on said shaft above the casing and astepping magnet including an armature and a pawl adapted to engage saidratchet wheel to advance successive compartments to align with said-oning, sounding leads and means for fee g said sounding leads into saidcompartments.

7. In a system for depth measurement adapted to be used upon a submarinewhen either above or below the surface of the water, a watertight casingattached to the the center of said barrel, a ratchet wheel .mounted onsaid shaft above the casing and a stepping magnet including an armatureand apawl adapted to engage said ratchet wheel to advance successive comartments to align with said opening, solm leads and means for feedingsaid sounding leads into said compartments, a depth indicator' and meansoperated by the movement of said ratchet wheel for commencing theoperation of said depth indicator at the instant the sounding lead isfree.

8. In a system for depth measurement adapted to be used upon a submarinewhen either above or below the surface of thewater,

a watertight casing attached to the skin of the vessel, having anopening therein directly aligned with a similar opening in theskin ofthe vessel, a barrel having compartments extending longitudinallytherethrough and rotatable about a shaft through the center of saidbarrel, a ratchet wheel mounted on said shaft above the casing ,and astepping magnet including an armature and a pawl adapted to engage saidratchet wheel to advance successive compartments to align with saidopening, sounding leads and means for feedmg said sounding leads intosaid compartment, a depth indicator, a starting magnet for starting saidindicator including an elec-.

trical circuit having a battery and a pair of contacts in series withsaid magnet and means mounted on said shaft for cl said contacts andthereby energizing sai magnet when said sounding lead is free;

In testimony whereof we aflix oursignatures.

GERHARD SCHMIDT. V BERN-HARD SETTEGAS'IT.

